Electric generator



May 5, 1970 H. KLAUE ELECTRIC GENERATOR Filed April 1, 1968 8 5 W% 0 6 &27 Q :L n: 1 1. l \wiwf m ma 1 United States Patent O 3,510,703 ELECTRICGENERATOR Hermann Klaue, Avenue des Planches 3, Montreux, SwitzerlandFiled Apr. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 717,638 Int. Cl. H02k 11/00; H02p 9/04 US.Cl. 31070 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND-FIELD OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to electric generators, and inparticular, it relates to electric generators of the type actuated by aninternal combustion engine.

BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Electric generators are knownwherein the moving parts of the generator are actuated by an internalcombustion engine, and particularly by engagement between the movingparts of the generator and the piston of the internal combustion engine.Moreover, these previously known devices include attempts to balance theforces created by the movement of the moving parts of the engine and thegenerator. However, complete balancing of these forces has not beenpossible. Consequently, with existing generators of this type it hasbeen necessary to employ relatively strong mountings for supporting notonly the weight of the generator and the engine, but also the residualforces resulting from the imperfect balancing out of the forces.

Thus, there exists a continuing need to provide an electric generator ofthe type actuated by an internal combustion engine but characterized bya more perfect balance between forces derived from the moving parts ofthe generator and forces derived from moving parts of the internalcombustion engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is a purpose of the present inventionto provide an electric generator actuated by an internal combustionengine wherein the disadvantages associated with imperfect balancing offorces have been substantially eliminated, whereby the overall size ofthe electric generator and its mounting means may be substantiallyreduced. Further, in view of the more perfect balance of the forcescreated by the moving masses, any frequency of operation can be employedand the apparatus can be mounted at any location on either a surfacevehicle or an airplane since the means for mounting the generator on thevehicle is essentially strained only by its own weight.

According to the present invention the center-line, or axis of alongitudinally extending, free floating piston (or pistons) of theinternal combustion engine is arranged to be coincident with thecenter-line or axis of the free floating moving parts of the electricgenerator, (which also move in the longitudinal direction). The mass ofthe piston and the piston rod are substantially equal to the mass of themoving parts of the generator and the said rod is drivingly engaged withthe moving parts of the generator through gear means such that movementof the piston rod in one direction causes the moving parts of thegenerator to move in the opposite direction.

For providing this movement the piston rod connected to the pistonincludes On its outer surface at least one toothed rack and preferably aplurality of toothed racks. Corresponding toothed racks are formed onthe moving parts of the generator. Gear means mounted in a fixed casingbetween the rod and the movable parts of the generator provide the saiddriving engagement between the rod and the moving parts of thegenerator.

A further feature of the invention includes the arrangement whereby themovable parts of the generator, and specifically the armature of thegenerator, surrounds the casing and is supported only by the said gearmeans which drivingly engages the armature with the said rod. To preventplay in the gear means, the gears may be connected to other parts of thevehicle in which the generators is mounted, such as the steering wheelor the like.

The internal combustion engine employed with the electric generator ofthe present type may be of any known design. For example, it may be adouble-acting two stroke piston engine or it may include a pair ofdouble-acting pistons working in opposite directions. The bottom of eachpiston can also be used for scavenging the upper half of the cylinder. Afour-stroke operation is also possible.

Since the armature of the generator is mounted concentrically about theaxis of the piston rod, and since the armature is supported solely bythe said gears, then it is possible to permit the pistons to operatewith a slight amount of play in the cylinders. Normally the samefrequency of operation is maintained independent of the strain to whichthe device is placed. The internal combustion engine may also include aflow packing arrange ment whereby lubrication of the internal combustionengine pistons becomes unnecessary.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improvedelectric generator of the type actuated by an internal combustion enginewherein the forces cre ated by the moving parts are substantiallybalanced out such that the sole force exerted on the mounting elementsis the weight of the apparatus itself.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric generatorof the type operated by an internal combustion engine wherein thearmature of the generator is coaxial with the piston rod of the internalcombustion engine.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an electricgenerator of the type actuated by an internal combustion engine whereinthe armature of the electric generator is supported and centered solelyby the means connecting it to the piston rod with which it is co-axial.

Other objects and the attendant advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent in the detailed description to follow, together with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a detailed descriptionof a preferred embodiment of the present invention to be read togetherwith the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood thatthis detailed description and the accompanying drawings are providedsolely for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention and that variations and modifications are capable within thespirt and scope of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electricgenerator constructed in accordance with the present invention and takenalong lines C-D of FIG. 2.

3 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an electric generator constructedin accordance with the present inventi and taken along lines A-B of FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, there is shown an electric generator constructed in accordancewith the present invention. A pair of pistons 1 and 2 are connectedtogether through piston rod 5 and are operable within internalcombustion chambers 7 and 8. Each piston includes a pair of annulargrooves 3 and 4, one on each side thereof, for producing the whirls ofgas necessary for providing flow packing within the chambers. Each ofthe internal combustion chambers 7 and 8 include inlet passages 10selectively opened by valve members 9 opening into an enlarged overflowportion 11 of the chambers 7 and 8. At the opposite end of each chamberthere is provided a fuel injection nozzle 13 and an outlet passage 12controlled by an electrically operated valve member 12.

FIG. 1 shows the internal combustion engine immediately prior tocombustion beneath the lower piston 2. This combustion will move thepistons 1 and 2 and the piston rod 5 upwardly. As the pistons and thepiston rod move upwardly, the spent gases in chamber 8 are clearedthrough an outlet opening by the scavenging action of piston 1. When thescavenging action has been completed valve 12 is closed and the gasespresent at the upper end of the chamber 8 are compressed for subsequentcombustion above the piston 1 thereby causing downward movement of thepistons 1 and 2 and the piston rod 5. The same scavenging action thentakes place below the lower piston 2 and the cycle is repeated. Inpractice, however, many other types of internal combustion engines maybe employed instead of the two-piston two-stroke engine shown herein.

The piston rod 5 includes a rack portion 6 having four rack surfacesformed about its periphery. A fixed casing member 14 surround the rodand has formed therein gears 15, 16, 17 and 18, each mounted in casing14 for rotational movement about a fixed axis and each asso ciated withone of the four racks formed on the surface of the portion 6.

Surrounding the casing member 14 are the generator parts including afixed stator 26 having fixed stator windings 24 and 25, and an annulararmature member 23 surrounds the casing 14 within the stator 26.

Longitudinal movement of this armature (upwardly and downwardly asviewed in FIG. 1) relative to the stationary stator windings 24 and 25induces a current in the windings and thereby generates electricity inaccordance with the main purpose of the generator. The armature 23 hasafiixed thereto a plurality of toothed racks 19, 20, 21 and 22 whichengage gears 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively.

For simplicity, the teeth on the various racks have been shownsymbolically in FIG. 1. However, were these shown in detail, then thecrests and grooves of the teeth of the two racks of portion 6, as wellas the teeth on gears 16 and 17 and on racks 18 and 21 would be visiblein FIG. 1.

It can be seen from the drawings that the armature 23 is mounted to beactuated by movement of the rod 5 in a direction opposite to movement ofthe rod 5. It can also be seen that armature 23 is floating in that itis supported and centered about the same axis as that of rod 5 solely byits engagement with gears 15, 16, 17 and 18. The member consisting ofpistons 1 and 2 and rod 5 is also floating in that it is supported onlyby its engagement with gears 15, 16, 17 and 18 (except, of course, forthe stabilizing effect brought about by the confinement of the pistons 1and 2 within the chambers 7 and 8).

The operation of the invention is as follows. The in ternal combustionengine is operated to reciprocate the piston rod 5 and thus the rackportion 6 longitudinally, this movement causing equal and oppositelongitudinal movement of the armature 23. Since the mass of armature 23and the mass of the member consisting of elements 1, 2 and 5 are locatedon a common centerline, the forces created in the longitudinal directionby movement of the pistons and piston rod will be cancelled out by theforces created in the longitudinal direction by the equal and oppositemovement of the armature 23. This balancing out is further enhanced bythe fact that the armature and the piston rod are floating. Thisfloating connection keeps the armature and the rod parallel with eachother even though these elements may move angularly a slight amountrelative to the original axis when the elements are at rest.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described in considerable detail, it should be apparent that thepresent invention is capable of numerous modifications and variationsapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric generator of the type wherein the movable part of thegenerator is driven by an internal combustion engine having a pistonmeans mounted tobe reciprocated along its axis in a longitudinaldirection, the improvement wherein, the movable part of the generator isalso mounted for reciprocating movement in said longitudinal direction,and wherein the center of mass of both the piston means and the movablepart are located on and are movable along the same said axis, connectingmeans for positively connecting together said piston means and saidmovable part of the generator such that movement of the piston meanscauses movement of said movable part of the generator in the oppositedirection, wherein the force ofsaid piston means moving in saidlongitudinal direction is balanced by the force of the movable partmoving in the opposite direction.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said piston means includes at leastone piston operable in the chamber of an internal combustion engine anda rod connected to said piston for movement in said longitudinaldirection, a portion of said rod having a rack having a set of teethextending transversely relative to the axis of said rod, and saidmovable part being an armature also having a portion in the form of arack having teeth extending transversely relative to said axis, and saidconnecting means including gear means for drivingly engaging the teethof the two said racks such that movement of the rod in one directionacts through the gear means to cause movement of the armature in theopposite direction.

3. The invention of claim 2 including a casing stationarily mountedrelative to the frame of the internal combustion engine, said gear meansbeing mounted in said casing for rotational movement about its axis.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said portion of said rod includes aplurality of racks equiangularly spaced about the circumference of therod, each rack having a set of teeth extending transversely relative tothe axis of the rod, and wherein said portion of said armature includesone rack for each rack of the rod means, and including a gear means fordrivingly engaging each rack of the rod portion with its correspondingrack of the armature.

5. The invention of claim 4 including a casing stationarily mountedrelative to the frame of the internal combustion engine and generallysurrounding the rod, said armature being generally annular andsurrounding the said casing, and wherein each said gear means is mountedin said casing for rotational movement about its axis.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said portion of the rod includesfour racks.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said movable part comprises anarmature which surrounds the said piston means and is supported with itscenter on said axis solely by said connecting means.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said piston means includes a rodmounted for movement in said longitudinal direction and having aplurality of racks spaced equiangularly about the surface of the rod,and wherein the movable part of the generator includes an armature whichsurrounds the rod and includes a rack corresponding to each rack on therod, a casing stationarily mounted relative to the frame of the internalcombustion engine and located between the rod and the armature, saidconnecting means including gear means drivingly engaging each said rackon the rod with its corresponding rack on the armature, said gear meansbeing mounted in said casing for rotational movement about its axis.

9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein said gear meansconstitutes the sole means of support for supporting the armature andcentering the same relative to the said axis.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein said piston means includes at leastone piston operable in the cylinder of References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Dickinson. Combs. James. Dawes. Toesca. Stott. Birestrand.Monpetit.

J D MILLER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

